Nut-cracking machine



April 9, 1940- L. J. MEYER 2,196,444

` NUT-GRACKING MACHINE I Filed nec. 31, 19:57 2 sheets-sheet 1 L. J.MEYER NUT- CRACKING MACHINE April 9, 1940.

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Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES ,NPATENT OFFICE 1 1 n 2,196,444'r 4.NUTLCRACKING MACHINE v- Leo `J. Meyer,v San Antonio, Tex., assignor 'toThe Champion Pecan Machine Company, San y V yAntoniolxex., aycorporation of Texas applicatipmnecember s1, 1937,1seria1No. 182,692

6 claims. ,(01, 14s-Q12) This invention relatesgener'ally tonut-cracking machines of the type adapted to crack edible nuts and morespecifically to suchafmachine which is provided with an 'improvedcompensating mechanism, or cracking box as it is fre' quently called,the predominant object ofthe invention being to provide a nut-crackingmachine which includes as a part thereof .a ycornpensating mechanism, orcracking box, that is of such improved construction and arrangementthatthe efliciency of the nut-cracking machine is very greatly improved.

Itis quite generally known that ediblenuts, pecans, for instance,vary-in size, particularlyas be provided with means for compensating fordifferencesin the sizes offnuts to be c racked, for

in the absence of suchcompensating mechanism, 00 crackingmovement of thenut-cracking dies of the'machines Which-would be proper for medium sizenuts would be too great for longer nutsand `'would crush the' meatsthereof, while in the case of shorter nuts such die movement would notbeen the practice, therefore, to providemutcracking machines of -theitype1 to which this invention relates, with compensating mechanisms andthe main purpose of this invention :is to pro.

vide a nut-cracking machine which includes as a part thereof acompensating mechanism that 'is of greatly simplied construction andarrange-l Fig. 5 is a cross-sectiontaken on the line 'ii-'5 l of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. 2`but showing positions.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section 4showing a modified form of a part ofl'thefmachine n In the drawings, wherein are shown'forthe purpose ofillustratiommerely, two embodiments to length. This situation makes itnecessary that-` machines intended for use in cracking thesenuts besufficient to properly crack the nuts. yIt has'v Fig. 3 is afragmentary1 vertical section taken n nut-receiving member. parts of thecompensating mechanism in changed i 'of-theinvention; A designates thenut-cracking machine'generally.A Q I 1 this frame or bed supports thevarious parts of 'the machine which will behereinafter described;-A'Extended transversely of the bed of the machine .n A adjacent toanhend thereof is a main shaft 9 v'which is-mounted forrotary movementin suit'- able bearings (not shown) supported by the bed of the machine.The main-shaft 3 has xedly 'mountedthereon a gear wheel 4 of theteeth ofwhich are arranged to mesh with'the teeth of a pinion 5"which'A ismounted on a shaft 6, said shaft 16 being mounted for rotation inabearing 'I extended transversely of the `machine above theThenutcracking machine A includes aframe orbed I' which' is supportedVonsuitalole legs 2 and bedthereof.- -Also mounted on the shaft Ii` is aoperates, this belt operating also overa smaller pulleygIU mounted onthe power shaft- II ofr an' electric -motor I2.' The electric motor I2is supported by suitable bracket means I 3V which1 in "turn issecured-to a'structure I4 of which the 'pulley 8, over-which a powertransmissionbelt 9 bear-ing 'Lforms'a part, the structure II4 beinglsecured to and extended upwardly fromthe bed of the machine. It isobvious that rotary movef ment initiated by the'motor I2 will betransmitted from the, pulley Ilitothe pulley by the belt 9 5 so as torotate the `shaft 6 and thereby transmit 1 rotary motion tothe mainshaft 3 of the machine through the pinion 5 and the gear wheel 4.

1 Fixedly 'mounted on the main shaft 3 of the y machineAis'a worm I5with which aworm wheel IB-is arranged in mesh;` The worm wheel I6 1smounted. on,y a shaft I1 which` extends longitud'inally' of themachine,said shaft being mounted for rotation in suitable bearings I8.At the end of the'shaft I1 opp'ositeto the endthereof atwhich the-wormwheel I6 is mounted, a rotary nut-receiving member I9 is fixed to saidshaft for rotary movement therewith.y The rotary nut-receiving member I9is constructed and arrangedas n rdisclosed in an application for UnitedStates Let- 4ters Patent filed in myname on October 2l, 1935,

'SerialNo.145,875, which became Patent No.

2,128g814, on August 30, 1938, andtherefore it Willnot be necessary todescribe in detail herein the construction and arrangement of saidrotary for a complete understanding of the present disclosure isthat'fthe Vrotary nut-receiving member I9 includes outwardly extendedand circumfer- All that need be known 1 I iixed. die 89 as. shown to thebest advantagezin wall of theopening 59.,"and Yaooil spring 62 isarranged within said opening 59 'so thatit. surrounds the portions 6|!band 56|)cr of the plunger,

the opposite ends of said coil spring`62'contacting with the forwardrface of v.the rear head portion 60a of the plunger 60'and therear faceof' is limited. Alsoy the innergface of the plate 63l serves as anabutment which limits forward movement of the cylindricalelement 6|Located to the immediate rear of the plunger 60 is a locking element 68which 4is pivotally sup- 4ported by the carriage 43 inanopen space provided thereforbetween the -forward and rear portions of said carriage.fThe pivotal supportforthe lockinguelement is obtained through the useof a vertically disposedi'pivot'pin 6.9` 'which passes through anopening formed lthrough the locking element andis secured to aportion ofthe y carriage 43 by a nut69' as shown-"in Fig. .3. `The 'rated face 10which, as will presentlyuappear"y locking element is providedwith atoothed or ser:

herein, is adapted tobe moved into contact with the teeth or vserrationsA5|!` ofA the movable; dielocking member 49, and said locking elementcon-l tacts at 1| with the rear headportionliila of the plunger '68. Thelockingielement 68 isprovided with a notch which provides a' shoulder 12'and arranged in contactv with saidshoulder isja plunger -13 which isarranged in an opening 14' formed y in the rear portion of thecarriage43; f The plunger 13 is forced forwardly-within the opening 14l by acoil spring 15 which is located within said opening 14 with its oppositeends 1in contactr with the plunger 13 andarscrew l16 arranged in therear portion of said opening; and because the forward end face of theplunger 13 'contactswith the locking yelementv said locking velement`will be maintained at all timesin contact with: the head" .portion6|laof the plunger: 60. l

' The machine Aincludes` an elongated element 11" whichis`screw`thre'aded throughout most of its length as shown to the bestadvantage in Figs 2 andl 6. .This element is` mountedl in ascrewthreaded opening =18formedthrough a por` tion of the housing 35 'ofthe rotary nutereceiv# ing member I9 .of the'mac'hine and :by rotatingsaid element it maybe'adjusted longitudinally of the machinetopositionthe rear end of said element in desired positions. ).As shown inFigs. 2 and-.6 the elongated element 11 is located in Yalinement withthe openingg66 .of the yforward u plate 63 of the carriagel`43 for apurpose to be hereinafter set forth;` A set screw 19 is provided bymeans Aof which the yelongated elementi may be locked in positionsto'which it'may be adjusted.

In the operation of the machine, the'nuts to be cracked are carriedaroundv in the' pockets 2|l of the rotary nut-receiving .member19g-which is subjected to constant rotation during operation of themachine.l y the nut cracking'positionit'passes between the adjacent'ends of the movable die-38 *andthe As eachpocketAZl vapproaches y Fig. 2wherein a nut to be cracked is illustrated `and is designated by thereference character'N.

As the nuttobe cracked approaches `the crackr`ing position the entirecompensating mechanism is moving forwardly as a unit and eventually theforward end of the movable die 38 contacts with the nut to be crackedand'mcves said nut into contact also with theflxeddie 39, the inclinedarrangement of the pocket 2| permitting the y.movable die 38 to moveinto said pocket while therotary nut-receiving member I9 is rotating.y

The position of the nut between the dies'38 and 39farrests furthermovement of the movable die 38, but the carriage 43 of the compensatingmechanismwith the parts-associated therewith continues its forwardmovement in 'response to1 rotation of the disk 48 on the shaft y3 towhich,

the carriage 'is voperably connected by the flink '41.' Duringsuchforward movement of the carriage with respect to the movable die l38thel coil has moved the proper distance forwardly the ,end portion ofthe screw-threaded element 11 enters the opening 66 -in the forwardplate 63 f of thev carriage to contact with theforward faces y vof thehollow element 6|.

Whenl the machine reaches this phase'of its operation forward movementof the carriage continues, as reciprocatory movement of said carriage iscontinuous during' operation of the maspring `5 5 is compressed, andwhen the carriage n chine, but contact between the'` forward end of vthescrew-'threaded element 'l1-and the element' 6| arrests forward movementof thev plunger 60 with the carriage 4?.` Now, as the forward Inovevmentof the carriage continues the 4pivot 69 of the locking element 68, whichmoves forwardly with'the carriage, moves ltoward 'th'e'"rear end faceofthe arrested plunger-"60vfwith the result vthatsaid locking element ismoved about its pivot 69 in such manner asto move the teeth of .saidlocking element into mesh with the teeth of the locking lmember 49.2This `locking of the locking element and the locking member occurs whenonly a very slight amount of forward movement-of the `carriage remains,and when the teeth ofthe locking element 68'and the teeth of the lockingmember 49 'have' become engaged the '-movabledie 38 is positively lockedto the carriage 43. The forward movement of the carriage continues afterthemovable die hastbeen locked to the" carriage and during the finalslight vforward movement of the carriage the movable die 38 cracks thevshell of the'lnut interposed between fthemovable die '38 and the fixeddie 39. lWhen the'carriage moves forwardly` the Yfinal distance to crackthe 'nut' as r'described thel plunger 'Gilv moves forwardly with thecarriage due to the fact that the locking elementl 68 isin contact 'withsaid plunger.v `IIowever thecylindrical ele- .ment 6|- at 'this time'is"held stationary by the screwthreaded element." and the forward head leoV`portion6lld of said plunger moves forwardly `a 5 slight distancewithin said cylindrical element vagainst the action of the'coilspring6.2,. Obvious-y `ly'the coilspring 6 2 is not compressed when thelocking element 68'is moved into dielocking contact'with the lockingmember 49 because said `*coil spring y62 isheavier `than the `coilspring" 15 l:which resists .locking movementfof theilocking element 68.

riage continuing itscontinucus reciprocatory tn'io'vernent moves'rearwardly thereby moving the 'movable die rearwardly-from the fixeddie.- Con- When a nut is cracked as described the cartinued rotation.of. the rotary nut-receiving member IS causes the cracked nut todrop-intothe chute 3l and be .discharged thereby fromthe machine. l

It is obvious, therefore, that` regardless of the lengths of the nutsbeing cracked, each nut will besubjected to the same cracking. pressure.In the case of a longer nut the mo-vable die 38 will be arrested in itsyforward movement earlier, while in the case of a shorter nutforwardmovement of the movable die will be arrested'later.

However, as already stated every nutregardless of its length willreceive the shell-cracking pressure required to properly crack the shellof the nut. i

It will be noted that the coil spring 5S provides for theyieldablesupport of thelocking member `49. Thus, when the teeth 'Hi ofthe locking element Si] are moved into mesh with the teeth 5t of thelocking member 49 said-locking memberl may-move forwardlya slightdistance against. the

`action ofthe coil spring 58, if required, to permit said teeth 'EO and5d to mesh properly.

Also to yieldably attach the carriage 43 tothe link 4T said link isprovided with an opening Sil in which is mounteda plunger Si that` isurged as the link 4l moves through its' nal forward movement Aduringwhich the cracking action ordinarily is performed. In order to permitthe link 1 to move'forwardlyin the situation suggested the opening 84 inthe forward end of the link is considerably larger in diameter than thepin 115i.

The coil spring 82 is of such stiffness that it will not yield when anordinary nut-cracking operation is being performed by the machine.

If desired the locking element may be shaped as sho-wn in Fig. '7wherein said locking element is designated by the reference character9D, said locking element Sil being provided with an extension 9! havinga curved'face which ycontacts with an inclined face 92 formed at therear end of the plunger 93.

I claim: Y

1. A nut cracking machine comprising a frame,

a carriage adapted for reciprocatory movement with respect to saidframe, a compensating member carried by said carriage for movementtherewith and capable of `independent movement with respect thereto, anut cracking element .associated with said compensating member, a secondnut cracking element ltoward which the firstmentioned nut crackingelement is movable, andV means whereby` independent movement of saidcompensating `member with respect to said carriage may be prevented,said means comprising a locking member associated with said compensatingmember and movable therewith, a movable lockingr element pivotallysupported by said carriage for movement therewith at all' times andnormally maintained out of` locking relation with respect to saidlocking member, and means for moving said locking element into lockingrelation with respect to said locking member so as to lock said lockingmember .and compensating member with respect tosaid carriage, saidmeans-for moving ,said locking element into locking relation withrespect to said locking member comprising a part supported for straightline movement in contact with said, locking element, and a spring whichpermits said part to yield in response to pressure thereagainst'by saidlocking element.

2. A nut cracking machine comprising a frame, a carriage adapted forreciprocatory movement with respectto said frame, a compensating memberslidingly supported by said carriage for movement` therewith, anutcracking lelement associated with said compensating member, a secondnut cracking element toward which the firstmentionednut cracking elementisfmovable, and meanswhereby independent movement of said `compensatingmember with respect to said carriage may be prevented, saidv meanscomprising alocking member associatedwith said compensatingamemb-er andmovable therewith, said locking member being provided with a serratedface,

a locking elementfmovably supported by said carriage for movementtherewith' at all times and having a serrated face', and means for`moving said locking element so as to cause the serrated face thereof` to.engagethe'serrated face of said locking memberandthereby lock saidlocking member and said compensating member with respect to saidcarriage, said means for moving said locking elementdnto lockingrelationwith respect to said locking "member comprising. a plungerv `supportedfor straight line movement in contact with said locking element, and` aspring which-permits said plunger to yield in response to pressurethereagainst by said locking element. 3. Anut cracking machinecomprising a frame,

-a carriage adapted for yreciprocatory movement withv respect to saidframe, a compensating member slidingly supported bysaid carriage formovement therewith, Va nut cracking element associated lwith saidcompensating member, a. second nut cracking'ielement toward which thefirstmentioned nut cracking element is movable, and means wherebyindependentmovement of said n compensating memberiwith respect to saidcarr f riage may belprevented, said means comprising ber, and means formoving said locking element so as to cause the serrated face thereof toengage the serrated 'face vof said'locking member and thereby lock saidlocking member and said compensating member with respect to saidcarriage,

said means for moving said locking element into locking relation withrespect to said locking member comprising' a'plunger supported forstraight line movement in contact with said locking element, and aspring which permits said plungerv to yield in response to pressurethereagainst by saidlocking element.

4. A nut cracking machine comprising a frame, a carriage adaptedforreciprocatory movement with respect to said frame, a compensatingmember slidingly supported by said carriage for movement therewith,a'nut cracking element associated with said compensating member, `a:secondy nut cracking element toward lwhich the irstmentioned nutcracking element is movable, and

means whereby independent movement of said ria'ge may be prevented, saidmeans comprising a compensating member with respect to said carriage maybe prevented, said means comprising a i locking member associated withsaid compensating member 'and movable therewith, said locking memberbeing provided with a serrated face, a locking element pivotallysupported by said car:-

`riage iormovement'therewith at all tirrlesand means to yield inresponse to` pressure there` l against by said locking element.y f n 5.A nut cracking machine comprlsing a` frame,

a carriage adapted-for reciprocatory movement with respect to saidframe, acompens'ating member slidingly supported b-y said carriage formovement therewith, a nut cracking element associated with saidcompensating` member, a second nut cracking element toward which thefirst'-v mentioned nut cracking element is movable', and

means whereby independent movement of saidy compensating member with'respect to lsaid carlocking member associated with saidcompensating'member and movable therewith, said locking member beingprovided with a serrated face, a locking element pivotallysupportedlby'said carriage for rmovement therewith at all times andhaving a serrated-face, and means slidingly sup-A portedby said carriageand adaptedA to be eri-l gaged byl a xed part of the` machine forfmovingsaid loekingelement so asto cause theiseri. rated face thereof to engagethe serrated face of said locking member and thereby lock said lockingmember and said compensating member with respect to said carriage, saidslidably supported means comprising a plungerarrangedin engage'-lindrical element arranged in telescoping relation with respect to anend portion ofv said plunger, and a coil spring interposed between apart of said plungerL and said cylindrical element which permitssai'dplunger to yield in response to pressure thereagainst by saidlocking-element.`

' mentwith a part oi said locking element, a cy- 6. A nut crackingmachine comprising a frame,

a carriage adapted for reciprocatory movement .with respect to saidframe, a compensatingk member slidingly supported by said carriage' formovement therewith, a nut cracking element-associated With saidcompensating member, asecond nut cracking elementtoward whichA thefirst- 'mentioned-nut cracking element is movable, and

lmeans whereby independent movementjof vsaid compensating'member withrespect to,A said carriage may bepreventedsaid means comprising aVlocking member associated with said compensatfingmember andmovable'therewith, saidlocking member being provided with a serratedface, a. klockingelement pivotally'supported by'said carkriage formovement therewith at all times and having a serrated face, meansslidingiy. supported l. by saidv carriage andadapted to be engaged by aiixed part of themachinevfor moving said locking element `so as tocausethe serratediace thereof to engage the serrated facevof said lockingmember and therebyflock said vlocking membery and said compensatingmember'with respectto said carriage, said slidably supported meanscomprising a plunger arranged in engagement with a part ofsaid lockingelement, a cylindrical ele- 'l ment arranged in telescoping relationwith re- A' spect tor an end portion'of said plunger, and a )coil springinterposed between a part of said plunger and said cylindrical elementwhich per-,

`mits said plunger to yieldl in response to pressure `thereagainst bysaid locking element, and spring f rmeans adapted to resist movement ofthelocking element to the locking position.

LEO J; MEYER.

